Industrial Wiring Guidance With Real-Time Connection Validation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Wiring errors in industrial automation systems are common due to the complexity of connecting numerous devices, leading to delays in manufacturing and commissioning, and existing methods lack efficient guidance for accurate and secure connections.
Innovation Solution
A wiring assistance system that generates and provides instructions for connecting devices in industrial automation systems, using CAD models to determine wire properties and layouts, and verifies connections through probes and augmented reality, ensuring accurate wiring.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If wiring personnel manually connect devices in industrial automation systems, then flexibility and adaptability are maintained, but wiring errors increase and productivity decreases due to complexity and time consumption
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical wiring operations with an automated system that uses probes to detect connections and a computing device to generate and validate wiring instructions. This substitution reduces human error while maintaining efficient wiring processes through automated guidance and validation.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the number of devices in enclosures increases, then system functionality and adaptability improve, but wiring complexity increases leading to more errors and delays
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary system consisting of probes and a computing device that mediates between the complex wiring configuration and the operator. This intermediary automatically detects connections, generates wiring instructions, and validates compliance, thereby managing wiring complexity without limiting system functionality.
3Ease of operation
If traditional wiring methods are used without validation, then ease of operation is maintained, but wiring errors occur leading to delays in manufacturing and commissioning
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where probes detect actual wire connections and the computing device compares detected connections against expected wiring instructions. This feedback loop validates wiring accuracy in real-time, preventing errors that would cause commissioning delays while maintaining operational simplicity through automated guidance.
4Manufacturing precision
If comprehensive wiring validation is implemented, then wiring precision and reliability improve, but device complexity and time consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables the wiring system to self-validate through automated probe detection and computational analysis. The system independently detects connections, compares them against design specifications, and identifies errors without requiring external validation equipment or complex manual checking procedures, thereby achieving high precision with minimal added complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A wiring assistance method includes receiving wiring data associated with a set of industrial automation devices and a set of wires and determining a set of wire properties based on the wiring data. The wiring assistance method also includes generating a wiring design based on the set of wire properties. The wiring design includes a set of wire couplings, each wire coupling indicative of a connection between two or more industrial automation devices of the set of industrial automation devices. The wiring assistance method also includes generating, based on the wiring design, a wiring instruction indicative of a first wire coupling of the set of wire couplings for display via an electronic display.